Rail-clamp



V. F. FRANCK.

RAIL CLAMP.

APPLICATION HLED NOV. 22. I919- 1,845,844, Patented July 6, 1920.

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UNITED STATES PATEN'l' UFFIt-ZE.

VAL F. FBANCK, 0F LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF TO JDElN W. DEMLING, 0F LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY.

' RAIL-CLAMP.

Application filed November 22, 1919.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, VAL F. FRANCE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Louisville, in the county of Jefferson and State of Kentucky, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rail- Ulamps, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to rail clamps and has for its principal object the production of simple and ei'licient means for fixedly attaching a rail to a tie.

Another object of this invention is the production of a clamp which may be easily attached to a tie by means of a single bolt.

Another object of this invention is to provide a clamp of such a construction which will hold the rail secure and in which the rail may be easily placed.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a simple and eliicient means for securing and holding said rail within said clamp.

With these and other objects in view, this invention consists of certain novel combinations and arrangements of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of my device showing the same attached to a tie.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the device showing the same partly in section, said section being taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary top plan view of one end of the base plate of the clamp.

Fig. l is a side elevation of one end of the clamp.

Referring to the accompanying drawings by numerals, it will be seen that 1 represents a tie upon which is mounted the clamp 2. This clamp 2 comprises the base portion 3 and the clamp portion 1-. Upon the center is integrally provided the bolt 5 which passes through the tie and is secured thereto by means of the nut 6. By this construction it will be seen that only one hole in the tie will be necessary whereby the life of the ordinary wood tie will be greatly prolonged. Of course the invention may be used on a metallic tie or one formed in any suitable manner of any material.

Upon the other end of the base plate 3 is provided the dove-tail portion 7. This dovetail portion 7 is provided with a clamping pocket 8. A clamping member 9 is pro= Specification of Letters Yatent.

Patented July 6, 1920.

Serial No. 339,843.

vided which comprises a body 10 which has the clamping opening 11 provided therein. Formed upon the upper portion of the body portion 10 is the collar 12 which is adapted to register with the opening ll. The collar 12 is provided with two openings at right angles to the bore of the same for the purpose oi? receiving the pin 13. A tapered pin 14: passes through the collar 12 and the open ing 11 provided in the body 10 and into the pocket 8. it will be seen by referring to Fig. 2 that the pin tapers toward its end and will engage the inclined slope 16 provided within the pocket 8. From this construction it will be seen that the clamp portion 9 will be held snugly against the rail.

By referring to Fig 4- it will be seen that the clamp 9 is provided with a dove-tailed groove 17 which will engage the dovetailed portion 7 of the plate 3 so that when the tapered pin 1 1 is inserted within the opening 11 and in engagement with the pocket 8 the clamp will be firmly held to the plate 3.

A cotter pin 13 is provided for passing through an opening provided in the collar 12 and adapted to pass through the body portion of the tapered pin 14 for fixedly holding the same within the aperture 11 and the pocket 8.

From the above description it will be seen that a hole is bored into the tie and the plate 3 is positioned so that the bolt 5 will pass through the opening provided. The rail is then inserted soas to be in engagement with the clamp 4h The clamp is then registered with the dove-tail portion 7 of the plate and slid in toward the rail so that the opening 11 will register with the pocket 8. A tapered pin 14 is then inserted and will force the clamp 9 in snug engagement with the rail because of the tapered portion 15 coming in contact with the clamping slope 16 of the pocket 8. The cotter pin is then placed within the collar 12 so as to engage the bolt 14: which will securedly hold the same therein. By such a construction it will be seen that it is necessary to use but one pin for holding the rail within my clamp. It will also be seen that only two holes will be used in each tie whereby the lite of the same may be greatly prolonged.

The foregoing description and accompanying drawings have reference to what might be considered the approved or presigned to be fixedly attached to a tie and to receive a rail, comprising a base plate, said base plate provided with an integral clamp upon one end, the other end of said plate provided with a dove-tailed portion, a removable clamp provided with a dove-tailed groove adapted to engage the dove-tailed portion of the said plate, the dove-tailed portion of said plate provided with a pocket, an inclined plane provided within 7 said pocket adjacent the dove-tailed end of said plate, said removable clamp provided with an inclined and tapered opening adapted to register with the pocket provided upon the dove-tailed portion of said plate, a collar integral with the top of said removable clamp, the bore of which is adapted to register with the inclined opening of the removable clamp, a tapered pin adapted to pass through said opening and be driven up to engage the inclined portion of said pocket, whereby said removable clamp will be held in snug relation with the rail, and means provided for fixedly holding said pin within said removable clamp.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination of a plate provided with an integral clamp, the free end of said plate provided with a dove-tail portion, a removable clamp provided with a dove-tail groove adapted to engage said dove-tail portion, said dove-tail portion provided with a tapered pocket provided with a tapered inclined slope adjacent the end of said clamp,

an aperture provided within said removable clamp and adapted to register with said pocket, an integral collar provided upon the top of said removable clamp, the bore of which is adapted to registerwith the said opening, a tapered pin adapted to pass through said opening and into said pocket, an, aperture passing through said collar and through said pin provided for receiving a cotter pin for holding said pin within said opening.

3. In a device of the class described the combination of a plate provided with an integral clamp, the free end of said clamp provided with a dove-tailed portion, a removable clamp provided with a dovetailed groove adapted to engage said dove-tailed portion, said dove-tailed portion provided with a tapered pocket provided with a tapered inside slope adjacent the end of said clamp, an aperture provided within said removable clamp and adapted to register with said pocket, an integral collar provided upon the top of said removable clamp, the bore of which registers with said aperture, a tapered pin adapted to pass through said aperture and into said pocket.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

I VAL F. FBANCK.

lVitnesses MORTIMER VIsER, J OHN WV. DEMLING. 

